Improvement in millstone-drivers



UNITED l STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

I GEORGE T. SMITH AND WILLIAM F. COCHRANE, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN M|LLSTONE DRIVERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,704, dated June 17, 189; application filed December' 31, 187e.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE T. SMITH and WILLIAM F. GoCHRANE, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Millstone-Drivers; and we do hereby declare that the following` is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to. which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the devices fortransmitting rotary motion to a millstone from its spindle.

1t is Well known that with a millstone-driver constructed of one 'piece of metal much ineen; venience is experienced from the pressure of the driver upon one yhorn only of the bail, which frequently disturbs the balance of the stone.

The object of this invention is to produce a millstone-driver which shall apply the power uniformly to both heels of the bail.

Figure l is a perspective view of one form of our driver. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view with the upper part of the casing removed.

Fig. 3 is a view of a driver embracing additional features of invention. Fig. 4 isa plan view of Fig. 3 with. the upper part of the shell g or body removed. v Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the curved line x a', Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line y y, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a view of an adjusting device detached.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the shell of the driver is composed of two sections, A A1, each part of which is provided with a groove, c', preferably rounded in cross-section, extending from one bearing-point, b, to the opposite bearl ing-point, b', in the recesses B B', which are formed to receive the heels of the bail. d1 d4 are cylindrical blocks fitted to slide freely in the groove, the intervening portion of the groove being filled with connecting-blocks d2 d3, these blocks, by preference, being cylindrical in cross-section and of such lengths as will best adapt them to slide freely longitudinally in the groove; but the column which connects the end pieces, d1 d4, may be made of balls, or it may consist of a column of liquid-- such, e. g., as mercury, glycerine, oil, or other suitable substance adapted to transmit motion from one of the end blocks to the other one.

It will, of course, be understood that the grooves c in the two parts of the shell match each other, so as' to form a single continuous groove adapted to receive the pieces all d4.

From an examination of Figs. 1 and 2, it will readily be seen that if, when the driver is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow l, the block-cll engage with one heel ofthe bail before the block d* engages with the opposite heel of the bail, the block d* will be thrust inward, and, by means of the connect ing-column, will thrust the block d4 outward relative to the face b of the recess B until it (di) engages with the heel of the bail, thus insuring that the power shall be applied equally to both heels of the bail, wherebythe mill stone will be driven Without disturbing its balance. In order to adjust the length of the connect ing-column to insure that the pieces d1 d4 shall project properly from the faces b b, we emA ploy an adjusting device, by means -of which the column may belengthened, as required.

In the drawings we have shown this adjust ing device as consisting of a wedge-shaped block, F, provided with a" screwthreaded shank, which is interposed between the adjacent ends of two pieces in the column, the

edges of the wedge being, by preference,-

grooved. The vertical slots in which the wedge is located are made of such length as to permit the desired freedom of movement, the position of the wedge being determined by Va nut upon its upper screw-threaded shank, a', and it will be seen that by drawing up the wedge the connected column may be length. ened. y

When a column of liquid is employed its length may be adjusted by means of a setscrew, the point of which is forced into the groove c and into the column of liquid, thereby increasing the length of said column.

In Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 We have shown the body or shell of the driver as being composed of three plates, A A1 A2, having curved or warped engaging faces, whereby provision is made for two equalizing-columns, both of which have their ends arranged in a common horizontal plane, but which cross each others paths in different horizontal planes, whereby Vthey are adapted to actuate metallic blocks E E1 E2 E3; but as this feature of construction is embodied in another application filed by us it is not necessary to describe it in detail in this specification.

We do not wish to be limited to making the body in two parts, A A, the inner face of cach part being groovcd, as under some circumstances we may prefer to cast the body in one piece and form the groove by means of a core.

We do not in this specification claimY constructing the body ofthe driver of three plates or sections, nor the arrangement of the two columns which cross each other, having claimed these features in another application wh ich we have filed as a division of this; but

1. A millstone-driver provided with a continuous groove or recess from one bearingpoint, at b, to the opposite point, at b', in combination with bearing-surfaces which project from the ends of the groove, and a connectingcolumn arranged within the groove, substantially as set forth.

2. A millstone-driver provided with a con? tinuous groove or recess from one bearingpoint, at b, to the opposite bearingpoint, at b', in combination with short metal pieces placed in the groove to form a continuous column having its ends projecting from the ends of the groove, substantially as set forth.

3. In a millstone-driver, the combination, with the end pieces, d1' d, and an equalizingcolumn arranged to transfer motion from d* to d4, of mechanism, substantially as set forth, for adjusting the position of said pieces rela tive to the body of the driver by lengthening the equalizing-column, substantially as set forth. f

4. In a millstone-driver, the combination, with an equaliZing-column, of the wedge-shaped adjuster F and nut, substantially as set forth.'

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We affix our signatures in presence lof two witnesses.

GEORGE T. SMITH. WM. F. COCHRANE.

Witnesses:

M. HANNON, J. C. BoNNELL. 

